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Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives – Write and Change the World by D. Wallace Peach

A new contributor joins us today for the next few weeks. Author Diana Wallace Peach shares some posts from her archives on Myths of the Mirror.

Today Diana shares her thoughts on random acts of kindness and explores if they can make a difference in this world that is struggling with so many disenfranchised and poverty stricken people. Is there a ripple effect of our efforts closer to home? Read on…..

Write and Change the World by D. Wallace Peach

Most of us have days filled with small acts of kindness. We smile, kiss hurt elbows, throw tennis balls for our dogs. We pay for a coworker’s coffee and leave a big tip. We call a friend in need, chauffeur teenagers, cook a favorite meal, or pick up ice cream on the way home. These small invisible acts often go unacknowledged, but they travel around in overlapping circles, keep our lives balanced and relationships healthy. We see the results in strengthened bonds, deeper commitment, and abiding love.

But what about those times when we don’t see the ripples? When we toss acts of kindness and compassion into a seemingly bottomless well of suffering and despair? When we perceive no reward for our efforts? When we don’t know if we’re making any lasting difference in our world at all? Some strangers we’ll meet face to face, but most we’ll never know. The poignant tales of their lives will play out in other neighborhoods, other cities, and other lands, unseen and unheard.

In our political landscape, acts of kindness and compassion are often labeled as weak, a waste of time and money, conciliatory, poor investments, and unpatriotic. In a culture that values money over lives, the manipulations are intense.

Yet, I would argue that when we ordinary folk commit small everyday deeds of kindness and compassion, the ripples are there even though invisible to our eyes and silent to our ears. Those random acts are cups of water that we pour down that deep, collective well. They blend and build, until over time, the bottomless well holds a limitless reservoir from which a garden grows. I have faith that no act of kindness or compassion is wasted, ever.

I’m not really surprised that Gandalf sits up there with some of the greats when it comes to quotes regarding kindness. Does it matter that he’s a fictional character? Not really. Through Gandalf, Tolkien’s wisdom reached millions. Such is the power of the written word. Books can and do have the power to change the world…

Thanks to Diana for sharing her post on the importance of our words, spoken and written and the power that they can have to influence the world.

I didn’t care for reading as a child – I preferred Bonanza and Beverly Hillbillies reruns, Saturday morning cartoons and the Ed Sullivan show. Then one day, I opened a book titled The Hobbit. Tolkien … literally changed my life.

I love writing, and have the privilege to pursue my passion full time. I’m still exploring the fantasy genre, trying out new points of view, creating optimistic works with light-hearted endings, and delving into the grim and gritty what-ifs of a post-apocalyptic world. Forgive me if I seem untethered in my offering of reads. Perhaps one day, I’ll settle into something more reliable. For now, it’s simply an uncharted journey, and I hope you enjoy the adventure as much as I.

D.Wallace Peach has just released her first children’s book, Grumpy Ana and the Grouchy Monsters. Not only written by Diana but illustrated by her too. An amazing amount of work but as you will see from the cover it is fantastic. Available in print only in US, UK and Canada.

About the book

Grumpy Ana Goblyn is sour, dour, and cranky. Her lips droop in a frown. She’s bored with every place and person in her friendly town. With the help of her father, she builds a spaceship and travels to a soggy planet where she meets her perfect monster playmates. But there’s a problem! The monsters see her grouchy frown and think she’s a monster. In this children’s space adventure, Ana discovers that her attitude affects her happiness, and she can change it if she chooses.

Lovely, colorful illustrations accompany this book of a spoiled girl with a frown. She’s bored, so bored with the friendly people of her town that she builds a space ship and travels. But her plans turn out different from what she expected. Ana discovers that attitude is everything. Sour will beget sour, a smile will beget smiles. The story is written in four line verses. The viewpoint that the monsters have of the dreaded, spoiled human girl made me laugh.

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About Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

My name is Sally Cronin and I am doing what I love.. Writing. Books, short stories, Haiku and blog posts. My previous jobs are only relevant in as much as they have gifted me with a wonderful filing cabinet of memories and experiences which are very useful when putting pen to paper. I move between non-fiction health books and posts and fairy stories, romance and humour. I love variety which is why I called my blog Smorgasbord Invitation and you will find a wide range of subjects. You can find the whole story here.
Find out more at https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/about-me/

Diana is positively brilliant — and in so many ways.
They (we?) have succeeding in polarizing nations to the extent that even those on the side of right have become bigoted against the entire “other side,” slinging and spewing hate for entire geographic areas of people, blaming all for the opinions and acts of some.
This is a beautiful post from Diana. It makes me sad to see she wrote it two years ago and it has only become *more* relevant and needed. Hugs to you both.

Thanks so much for the wonderful and “kind” comment, Teagan. It is sad that it’s an old post, so we must keep up the acts of kindness for others and for ourselves! Hugs to you, my friend! Have a day immersed in kindness. 😀

“A limitless reservoir from which a garden grows.” Wow. And, yes! Not only are you writing words of truth, you write them beautifully. Thank you, Diana. BTW, I was also a poor reader as a child. TV was a favorite, including Bonanza and The Ed Sullivan show. 🙂

Thanks for reading and for the wonderful comment, Jennie. We must never give up on encouraging kids to read. Even if they start as teenagers, the world of the imagination awaits them. Funny that we share those elements of childhood. 😀

You’re most welcome, Diana! It is funny that we share those elements of childhood. Yes, it is never to late to discover the wonderful world of reading. Opening that world to children is the best of all. 🙂

Thanks so much for sharing this post, Sally. I wrote it a couple years ago, and it’s as true today as it was then. I’m so delighted to be over here and sharing with your readers. Wishing you a day filled with kindness. ❤

Sally, it’s lovely to see Diana and her thought-provoking posts as part of your archive series.

Diana, this is a touching thoughtful post that warms my heart. I believe whole-heartedly in the ripple effect of kindness and goodness…whether we can see the results or not. To think otherwise feels like an empty life. Your quotes are perfect and your concluding sentence sums is so true. ‘Books can and do have the power to change the world…’ Yeah! Looking forward to your next contribution. xx

Thanks so much, Annika. This is a great series Sally has going here, and I’m catching all these great posts from other bloggers that I missed the first time around. I’m so glad you enjoyed this. Have a wonderful day, brimming in kindness. ❤

WOW Diana. You wrote my heart. I have always loved Random Acts of Kindness because I loved the way I always felt when I did them – but I never really focused on the reality that each stone we toss into the human soup creates ripples.

Too many days I am SO discouraged by the tweets from a so-called leader since November – and more so by way too many fear-based comments from too many folks drinking that poisoned kool-ade.

This article encourages me to focus on making positive ripples – even if I can’t see much beyond a tiny splash. THANKS!
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to transform a world!

Thanks for the beautiful comment, Madelyn. It’s empowering to know that even a simple smile can change a person’s day, and that person will extend that positive feeling to others and they will pass it on and on. It feels good to give and sometimes eye-opening to receive. Kindness has no downside. 🙂 Keep splashing! 😀

A most excellent and oh so relevantly timed post Diana. So many wonderful messages and each of the quotes was perfect. I especially love the first one because indeed, the pen is mightier than the sword. ❤ xxx

Unfortunately still relevant, but I have a feeling it will always be. Books can inspire, heal, change views, give hope. Yes, and change the world. 🙂 Thanks so much for the lovely comment and for inspiring others with your pen! ❤

We need more posts, more words, more people, to spread those acts of kindness and love. Yes, we may never see the ripples, but they are there, and the world is a better place for them. Thank you, Diana and Sally. 🙂

Thanks so much for stopping by, Norah. I am also convinced that those ripples are there. Acts of kindness are easy and cost nothing and they’re something we all can do every day and change the world. ❤ Happy Sunday.

I was so moved by this, Diana, that I read it twice. Beautiful sentiment eloquently written. Like you, I see the Earth as a great web, upon which no thought or deed can be stayed. Wouldn’t the world be a much different place if we could see energy ley lines and the effect our actions have on them? I agree wholeheartedly ~ from thought to pen to reader to thought ~ books indeed can change the world. Thanks so much for sharing this with us ❤

Thanks so much for the lovely comment, Tina. I, too, would love to see those ripples of energy spreading and expanding. That would be really cool. But we don’t need to see them to know it happens and that we each have to power to initiate that flow of positive energy… with our books, posts, or just with our everyday acts of kindness and our smiles. ❤

Diana is absolutely fabulous – as a writer and as a supporter of fellow writers. I did not know she has written a children’s book and I can’t wait to check it out – I’m going to buy it for my grandsons. And she illustrated it herself, too! Diana doesn’t just talk the talk of spreading kindness – she walks the walk. I’m so glad I’ve found her!

What a sweet comment, Molly. Yes, I dove into children’s literature at the encouragement of Tornado Boy. Ha ha. I love our connection too. You warm my heart and certainly get me smiling! Have an awesome Sunday. 🙂

Guess what I got today? My copy of Grumpy Ana and the Grouchy Monsters. It will be a birthday present for my grandson Maxwell who is a big fan of monsters and I know he will love it. The illustrations are amazing. Diana is the best and a writer I look up to – big time.

Awww. Yay! I do hope he enjoys it, Molly. These monsters are a bit intimidating at the beginning but little scaredy-cats by the end. 🙂 I’m so grateful and tickled for the kind comments and the support. Thank you! ❤ Hugs!

Thanks so much for the comment, Claire. That is a great image, isn’t it? Kindness is easy, takes no time, and is often free. I believe that if we keep spreading it around, the ripples return to us in untold ways. It’s good for the whole world. 🙂

Great post Diana, and you are absolutely right.. most of us cannot do great things in this world but the accumulation lots of little things probably make more difference in the end because small acts of kindness spread out like ripples. Each person who experiences one is in a better mood even if it is just for an hour or so and therefore more likely to treat someone else better- spreading the love!
Talking of love… Loved the Faulkner quote: such a literary giant now almost forgotten.
And I agree over Gandalf: that character has probably spoken to more people in the world over the generations than any actual famous person!

Thanks for reading from the archives, Paul. Kindness is a superpower that we all have and only need to decide to use. Collectively all our little ripples make giant waves! Great minds knew the value of kindness, even Gandalf. 🙂

Thanks for the lovely comment, Pam. I agree that kindness brings all kinds of good karma. It feels good even when we don’t see the results. And we never do see the entire “rippling,” do we? It gets passed onward and outward. Have a wonderful week filled with kindness. ❤

Thanks so much for stopping by to read, Amy, and for the reblog. Yay! It’s pretty easy to be kind, isn’t it? And just a little effort goes a long long way. I, too, hope that all our little ripples become a huge wave. 🙂 Happy Writing!

I also firmly believe that all acts of kindness help to counteract the sometimes negative energy in the world. I also believe that everything that you read or watch becomes part of the fiber of your being. So reading your post improved me today.

It is in our deeds we are truly known. Somebody wise and clever once said that – I forget who. I think being kind is integral to being human and Diana has expressed it all very wonderfully here. Thank you Sally, for republishing this. It reads, unfortunately, as if written today.

Thanks for the visit and comment, Pauline. It is a bit distressing that so much of what we hear is bleak, but all the more reason to spread the light of love and kindness around. Happy Weekend, my friend. ❤

Kindness changes others, even if we can’t see the end result all the time. But it also changes us. It keeps our hearts open, prevents bitterness and fear from taking root. As Gandalf put it, kindness “keeps the darkness at bay” — not only in the world, but in ourselves. This is a topic near and dear to my heart, one I write about often. If I didn’t believe that words as well as actions could change hearts, I would have nothing to write about.

I agree Erik and it is one of those gifts that we have the power to distribute widely at no cost except with a kind word or gesture. That is what makes time so precious when you give it to someone else. Much more effective usually than money.

Hi Erik, I knew you would like this one since you are a purveyor of great acts of conscious kindness. You write about intention/choice and that has a huge impact on our efforts to make the world a kinder place. And you’re right, kindness feels mighty good to all involved. Hope your day and weekend is rife with waves of kindness and joy. ❤

I like to think the small acts of kindness far outnumber the malicious ones, though that rarely seems the case when one surfs social media or watches the news. But when we tune that noise out, I think we really do see more good deeds than bad in our everyday lives. It’s those acts that give me hope. Lovely post, Diana.

I agree, Carrie. Between social media and the news, the world is on its last legs, and we’ll all go Mad Max on each other before the week is out. But there is a great deal of goodness out there. Kindness is a way to reinforce it and help it spread. Thanks for the visit and Happy Weekend!

Nice interview. I completely agree with you Diana about kindness. And how fun that Tolkien’s Hobbit was one of the first books to really grab me and stir my imagination. We must have good taste and/or imaginations! 🙂

Great minds think alike, Brad. 🙂 There are so many good books out there, but Tolkien still has a big corner of the heart. I don’t think I would have ever considered writing without opening that book. Thanks so much for the visit and have a wonderful weekend. 🙂

Hi Jacqui. Exactly. I love the idea of ripples and how then bounce off each other, off the other shore and always come back, like echoes, even if we can’t connect the dots. Thanks for the lovely comment and Happy Writing!

Wonderful post, Diana! So poignant, especially these days. So much animosity–okay, hate–out there, but I wonder if the news people would give as much time reporting about all the good things people do as they do the bad things, if we could turn things around faster. In any case, kindness isn’t wasted. We can all stand to give more, and it’ll come back to us, I think. Have a great rest of your weekend!

Thanks for the lovely comment, Julie, a second one! I like watching the news, but I agree that its view of the world is dark and tends to linger on divisive reports. I think people feel overwhelmed and helpless, which is why its all the more important to keep small acts of kindness in mind. We can all do those! ❤

I agree wholeheartedly with Diana. Every single little act of kindness counts. I also read many books to children that demonstrate a character who is kind or sacrifices for others. It is important that they can receive these “lessons” of kindness and compassion that seems to be so lacking in our current society. Thomas Jefferson is one of my favorites, what a wonderful man! Excellent post, Diana, and thanks for sharing to all of us, Sally 😀

Thanks for dropping by and commenting.. I don’t think any act of kindness is wasted even if it might not be appreciated.. And I agree about children hearing and seeing acts of kindness, it is the only way they learn..

Thanks so much for the lovely comment, Lana. I so agree with you about children, and at heart, I believe kids are naturally kind and loving when that behavior is modeled by adults. I think back to past Christmases or birthdays when the kids just couldn’t wait until the gifts they’d given were unwrapped. I hope your week is full of kindnesses given and received. And have a wonderful Thanksgiving. ❤

We really don’t know whether a minor action like a simple smile to a stranger, or letting a car merge in front of us into traffic, changes someone’s day – but it’s worth doing. Repeatedly. It’s the small kind actions, done consistently and repeatedly, that changes OUR lives ❤️

Thanks so much for stopping by to read, Joanne. I have no doubt that you are a kindness-spreader! kindness rippler? Ha ha. I’m glad you enjoyed the post and hope your days are filled with kindness given and received. ❤

Wonderful piece. I was around twelve or thirteen when I first read LOTR after reading, The Hobbit and I too can say that those books got me interested in reading and writing. Those books have influenced whole generations and I’m sure they will influence generations yet to come.

What a lovely post! I have always believed that one small kindness can change a person’s outlook and that they, in turn, will pass it on. It is indeed catching. Even a smile when shared with the saddest, grumpiest, forlorn will bring a smile in return and even if, for only that moment, their world is just a bit brighter.

Thanks so much for stopping by to read, Michelle. I completely agree, of course. We may not see how far the ripple of that smile extends, but I have faith that it does. We are so immensely powerful, so spread those smiles around. Wishing you a fantastic new year! ❤